BC BEAT To Feature New Work by John Carrafa, Jon Rua, Patrick McCollum, Karla Garcia, Ephraim Sykes, And More! 12/10

As night comes quicker and cold sets in, getting into BC BEAT on Monday December 10th, 7pm sharp seems like the best thing going. Walking into Cielo’s warmly lit interior with Declan Bennett spinning music as the evening’s dancers and choreographers glide around the room conversing and playing on the dance floor, it’s easy to order a hot toddy from the bar and say hello to old and new friends. BC BEAT has become a staple for the Broadway community. It’s an access point to new work, new people, and an inspiring sense of possibility.

BC BEAT returns to Cielo (18 Little West 12th Street) on Monday December 10, 2012. With online ticket sales benefiting New York Cares Hurricane Sandy Relief Projects, tickets are now available at www.BCBeat.net. Sponsors, LaDuca Shoes and dirty sugar Live, are also sharing discounts and raffles with online ticket buyers.

BC BEAT is a Broadway choreography showcase and dance party for curious people in the know. Set on a sunken stage surrounded by the audience with a pulse and breath propelled by the best sound system in New York City, BC BEAT features exhilarating new work by established and highly anticipated Broadway choreographers.

BC BEAT brings Broadway downtown by taking up residence at Cielo (18 Little West 12th Street, NYC). Doors open at 7pm and the entrance ticket ($8 online, $12 at the door) provides access to the BC BEAT showcase, dance party and the opportunity to mingle and connect with BC Beat choreographers and performers in an intimate setting. Guests can grab a drink and join the cast and creatives as they dance the night away to beats by Declan Bennett. BC BEAT is proudly sponsored by LaDuca Shoes, Broadway Connection with Kendallen Design and media sponsor dirty sugar.

For BC BEAT, John Carrafa and Erin Gottwald are performing a duet from their company, Erin + John Dance. John is the two-time Tony Nominated Broadway choreographer of URINETOWN and INTO THE WOODS with Vanessa Williams and has also received an Obie Award, Lucille Lortel Award and Dora Award, as well as nominations for Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for his work in the theater. He conceived and directed the original Broadway musical GOOD VIBRATIONS. He has choreographed over 25 feature films including SOMETHING BORROWED, THE OTHER GUYS, THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, BRIDE WARS and THE POLAR EXPRESS (2004 Media Choreography Honors) For television: ROYAL PAINS, BLUE BLOODS, THE BIG C, BIG LOVE and UGLY BETTY. At the Nokia Center in Los Angeles, he was director/choreographer for the groundbreaking dark circus CIRQUE BERZERK. He served as Creative Director for the NBA on NBC - creating and producing live televised arena shows with stars such as LL Cool J, Harry Connick Jr. and Mary J. Blige. Commercial choreography includes Justin Bieber'S SOMEDAY PERFUME, BARNES AND NOBLE WITH Jane Lynch, AT&T, SPRINT, MCI, GOT MILK, TRUTH ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN, PROPEL WATER, and LAYS POTATO CHIPS WITH EVA LONGORIA.

Erin Gottwald has performed throughout the United States, most notably at the Boston Ballet, Dance Theater Workshop/ New York Live Arts, St. Mark's Church, Dance Unlimited in Juneau, Alaska, Conduit Dance in Portland, Oregon, The Cowell Theater in San Francisco, California, Dancer's Workshop in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Philadelphia Fringe Festival, the Bates Dance Festival and the National Dance Institute in Santa Fe, NM. She has performed in numerous companies throughout the country including David Parker & The Bang Group, Sokolow Theatre Dance, Digby Dance, Hole Dance Films, Nicola Hawkins Dance Company, Prometheus Dance, Paufve Dance and Dandelion Dance Theatre. She holds a BA in Theater from Bates College and a BA Hons from the London Contemporary Dance School.

Jon Rua is originating the role of ‘Jesus Pena’ in the Broadway-Bound new musical HANDS ON A HARD BODY opening spring of 2013. He has starred as ‘Sonny’ in the Tony Award Winning Broadway musical IN THE HEIGHTS. Jon has performed with the likes of Sean Hayes, Jane Krakowski, Anthony Anderson, Keith Carradine, Norbert Leo Butz, Tyne Daly, Andrea Martin, Priscilla Lopez, Jordin Sparks and more. Additional theatre credits include: SOMEWHERE at The Old Globe (Craig Noel Leading Actor Nomination), BRING IT ON THE MUSICAL (World Premier), ELABORATE ENTRANCE OF CHAD DEITY (Second Stage- Pulitzer Prize nominated), DAMN YANKEES (Encores!), PIRATES! (MUNY). Workshops: HANDS ON A HARD BODY (La Jolla), Sundance Theatre LAB (Banff 2011), FLY, BARE, STARDUST BALLROOM, ALL FALL DOWN (Intar), KINGDOM (Public Theatre), Lincoln Center’s AMERICAN SONGBOOK. TV: LAW AND ORDER. Jon has danced for such artists as Don Omar, Soulja Boy, and more as well as commercial credits including Target, Bill Board, Puma, IBM, Panasonic and more. As a choreographer, his work has been seen on the Brooklynettes, CBS, MTV, Broadway Bares, Award-Winning Webisode CHAOS THEAORY and Off-Off Broadway in UNION SQUARE. He has assisted on such projects: HANDS ON A HARD BODY, BRING IT ON THE MUSICAL, IN THE HEIGHTS, NYCC’s Encores! THE WIZ, and INSANITY.